Thankyou for your kind words and the poem you wrote about the bunnies. I have been opposing the government here for nearly three years now on the RCD issue. It has been a long and weary battle full of interesting experiences and sad times. I still hope to one day reverse the declaration of RCD/RHD as an "agent" organism of germ warfare in my country. (All rabbits here including the wild and domestic rabbits are all European rabbits including my pet rabbits). The domestic rabbits in the USA are all European rabbits but the USDA would rather kill the pet bunnies if the RCD/RHD ever makes it to your shores rather than allow the use of a vaccine (which seems to be causing less side effects than when it was first used on our shores). I have alerted the American rabbit breeders association to the fact that the USDA (unlike Europe and Australia) won't allow the RCD/RHD vaccine. So far, jack rabbits and cotton tails are not susceptible to RCD I believe. Here is a poem I wrote early in the RCD debacle about a rabbit belonging to a friend of mine who died NOT from the virus but from the vaccine reactions! It's a little strong but us bunnyhuggers were distraught at the time this virus escaped. The story of Teddy Bear the lop rabbit. Teddy Bear the lop rabbit, Was Susan's dearest friend, He was a survivor of Myxomatosis, Which might have caused his end. He used to win at shows, His bold and cheeky manner, Captivated those who knew him, Under the "Southern Districts" banner. The Aussie farmers decided, To wipe out rabbits complete, The scientists had a deadly virus, That they thought was rather neat. They'd imported RHD to play with, And they thought they had it made, So they field tested RHD on an island, Across to which they'd wade. The virus jumped from the island, And over the mainland spread, The RHD program rejoiced, As they saw that rabbits lay dead. Susan had Teddy Bear vaccinated, Against the deadly RHD, She was taking no chances, That he'd suffer that malody. For RHD takes no prisoners, Rabbits haemorrhage and die, And for her darling Teddy, It was too soon to say good-bye. The vet gave Teddy a needle, To save him from RHD, But instead Teddy started to waste, He lost weight rapidly Eventually Teddy could not stand up, His head drooped to his chest, The reaction to RHD vaccine, Had broken one of the best. Susan, the vet and Teddy fought hard, And Teddy started to brighten, Then one day Susan had to go out, And when she returned she was frightened. For Teddy was in obvious pain, And no open vet could she find, Its thought that lesions went to his brain, And Teddy's death was far from kind. Writhing in pain and grinding his teeth, For rabbits cannot speak, His final moments spent in pain, Poor Teddy wasted and weak. We'll remember you fondly Teddy Bear, You'll not be forgotten by those who care, And the scientists we will curse to hell, And pray they catch RHD as well. The End. =========================================================================== /`\ /`\ RABBIT INFORMATION SERVICE: _ _ (/\ \-/ /\) P.O.Box 30, Riverton, Western Australia 6148 (.\_/.) )6 6( http://www.wantree.com.au/~rabbit/rabbit.htm \6 6/ >{= Y =}< VEGETARIAN PAGE =\ /= /'-^-'\ http://www.geocities/RainForest/4620 /O\ / (_) (_) / \ ( | . | U U ) | |} Pity the human race its illusion of permanence (| |)/ \_/^\_/ w'-'w ===========================================================================
